Go Big in Your Own Backyard

42 To Do’s

2020

OK Team…we’ve got, give or take, 6 weeks or 42 days of school holidays to survive, thrive and make some happy holiday Family memories!

2020 has been a massive year! So we are going to go big and serve up 42 inspirations for you to whack on the fridge and check off those that sound like great ideas for your Family. In our next article we are going to explain why these activities are brilliant for your brains too. We have done our best not to repeat any suggestions from last year, so if you are looking for even more you can always download the 2019 list and pop a big bright magnet on it as well.

We’re pumped! Are you ready? Let’s go!

1. One Second Everyday Video

Set up to end your summer break with a spellbinding video that captures a moment from each day. There are a bunch of apps that can help you create, store and even send you reminders to record your 1 second each day. The process might even motivate the fun seeker in you!

2. Time capsule

Making a time capsule can be as involved and creative as you want it to be. Choose where to hide it; what type of container you are going to use; what you are going to put inside it; and when you agree to all come together to find it and open it…maybe in 5 or 10 years time.

3. LEGO Masters

Create your own LEGO MASTERS Challenge. LEGO always has something to offer, for smalls and bigs. Grab your old instruction books and gather all the pieces to remake the model. There are some amazing LEGO STEM Programs to get involved with. Sorting your brick pit can be a useful something to do too, rediscovery always ends up being more fun than you think it will be.

4. Build something

Build a cubby house, or a natural shelter. You could set up a quiet corner or a home meditation space. You might have a building project you’ve already started in the shed you could finish off.

5. Innovate

Some incredible innovations have sprung from the inklings of awesome young minds. Did you know flippers, trampolines, popsicles, and even Braille were invented by kids! Check out Little Big Idea, and hit the inspiration station.

6. Clean the world

Pick an outdoor space you love or spend a lot of time in and give it some TLC. Do your own #trashtag before and after photos for the feel-good factor and to keep the movement going.

7. Op Shop Hop

There are clusters of outstanding ‘opportunity’ shops in Butler; Fremantle; Midland; Mount Hawthorn; Subiaco; Victoria Park; and Wanneroo to name a few. Kids toys and books can be the best value sections. Go with an idea for #8 or just see where the opportunities take you!

8. Upcycle

Take a seemingly ordinary old something and turn it into something snazzy, new and improved. You might find an idea and hunt for what you need on your Op Shop Hop, or just look around your home, garden and shed for things screaming to be upcycled.

9. Earth Pets

You might not be in a space or place to have a dog or a donkey…but there are oodles of little ‘earth pets’ that you may find you can love and bond with while doing your bit for the world too. Could you have chickens, keep native bees, make a worm farm, or an aquaponics system?

10. Cooking Game

Once a week a couple of Family members team up and transform the dining room into a restaurant. They design and cook the menu. You all dress for the occasion. Everyone gives a score. At the end of the ‘season’ Parents tally up the votes and announce the winner!

11. Play the Bluey Games – for real life!

Brilliant global phenomenon, Joe Brumm’s ‘Bluey’, is playtime gold. Parents can re-learn playfulness with: Chicken Rat; Come Here – Go Away; Pass it on; Postman; Grannies; Café; Cocoon; Fairies; The Quiet Game; Bad Mood; Squish Squash; Octopus; Library; Sandwich Shop; Raiders; Doctors; Neighbours; Mount Mum-n-Dad; Keepy Uppy; Bum Bongos; Xylophone; Daddy Robot; Shawn; Trampoline Breakfast; Asparagus; Magic Statue; Feather Wand…the list goes on!

12. Traditional skills

Basketry, wood carving, rope making, building a fire, growing your own food, baking bread, pickling, fermenting, knitting, crochet, sewing…all fall under the banner of traditional skills. There are remarkable schools and teachers around that can guide you through workshops, older relatives can be a wealth of information, and some might find the resources they need online.

13. Book Club

There are some gems of books, old and new, for children and young adults. Perhaps introduce your teens to an epic series you became enraptured with at the same age…they might even discover why 42 is the answer to life, the universe and everything! Depending on age you can read independently first, or buddy read, then chat books over mocktails and party food.

14. Up to the highest heights

Find a playground with climbing frames that push the limits: Mariala Vista Park and Optus Stadium Sensory Playground are interesting examples. You could check out what’s happening at: Flying Trapeze Perth; Circus WA or Cirquest; Movement Co for parkour; maybe iFly Indoor Skydive or Climb Zone. Try doing some activities at the end of your comfort zone.

15. Family Code or Cipher

Invent a family code or cipher. You could: use a cipher wheel; learn Double Dutch, Pig Latin or Skimono Jive; invent an original symbolic language; all learn morse code. Families have their own ways of communicating, why not have your own secret way as well.

16. Take a class or course together

You might want fun and unusual, to learn something your all interested in, or get involved with your local library or community hub. Some Families may want to take the time to grow and develop together, to build skills for Family wellbeing and resilience. Relationships Australia, Ngala and Triple P offer valuable free and online options.

17. Movie Theatre

Time to order pizza and get the mattresses into the lounge room for a movie night! With warmer weather you might host a backyard movie screening – rig up a sheet and projector, bag up popcorn and make your own choc tops. Maybe pick a night to go through photos and play your own home movies on the biggest screen you have.

18. Origami

Spend some craft-a-noons getting decorations ready for your Christmas tree and learn a little origami. You could make them out of old Christmas cards or wrapping paper, even old magazines have enough bright pops of colour to add the eco-friendly twinkle you need.

19. Botanical Garden or Garden Centre

Find hidden wonderlands in local gardens and pet centres. Visit the Bird and Fish Place, Zanthorrea, Dawsons Garden World, The Gardener’s Nursery or your local pet or aquarium shop. Check out a botanic garden or two…did you know there are more than 11 in WA?

20. Go to work

If you can take the kids to work with you for a day or a few hours. They will remember how cool it was to spend that grown up time with you, and they will learn more about who you are and what you get up to beyond the home. Some work settings this may not be appropriate…think about creative ways to share your work and passions with your children.

21. Warm Fuzzies

This is usually an interactive classroom activity, but why not introduce it for your Family. Each create your own named pocket on a warm fuzzies wall and fill it over the break. Write little notes about what you love most about each person, positive things you noticed about them that day, reasons you are grateful for them and who they are. The fuzzies will be treasured.

22. Scavenger Hunt

Stay on an exciting task for ages trying to find everything on your list first. Scavenger hunts can be designed for very little ones right through to adults. There are ideas for tweens and team building. Photo and video hunts are popular now too.

23. Gratitude Inventory

There is a science to gratitude that is shining light on its vast benefits. For those that love list making this could be the sort of list that can grow each day. As well as making lists to send to Santa, why not reflect and start a list of things you are grateful for that you can add to every day of the year.

24. Garden Diary

Garden Gnome Guru himself – Costa – invites our child minds to get down low and get fascinated with teeny tiny garden spaces. Map out a little 1m area, find a spot with a bit of diversity, and study the minute goings on in your garden. Follow an ant. Watch a seed germinate and grow. Make a tiny natural fairy garden with stick and leaf umbrellas, mud huts and stepping stones.

25. Forest Bathing

Forest Bathing originated in Japan, where it is known as Shinrin Yoku. There are a few guides around WA that lead these walks and are qualified to guide the experience. The essence of the practice is to really slow right down and take the time to be with and communicate with nature.

26. Playlists

Nominate themes and each person creates a playlist to listen to. Themes could be: for a road trip; start the day; chill out evening; the not Christmas Christmas mix. Creating a playlist can be a really absorbing activity, music is a dreamland to get lost in and its such an emotive thing to share.

27. Fishing

Grab your kids by the hook, line and sinker and go fishing. Remember: ‘Good things come to those who bait’.

28. Local Centres

Check out what’s happening at your local recreation or youth centre and PCYC. The Teams at these facilities devote time and skill to create programs to captivate the youth of our great state.

29. Wild time

The vital importance of our wildishness has recently been highlighted in Sir David Attenborough’s own witness statement. There are some remarkable wild people, places and spaces around WA - Wild Movement, Nature Play WA and Educated by Nature are just a few.

30. Old School Games

What games do you remember from school days and holidays? Hopscotch? 4 square? Jacks? Mother May I? Marbles? Jumping rope? Helicopters? Red light, Green light?...ringing any bells?

31. Portraits

Paint portraits of each other. Pull names out of a hat for who will paint who, maybe freestyle crazy costumes, locations, and posing. Pick a place to hang them all together in a Family collection.

32. Train ride

Train rides can be a simple trip to town on a FamilyRider or a nostalgic journey into history. Interesting conversations often start on trains. Journeying is a great way to make memories together.

33. Sand Sculptures

To the beach!!! You could have an individual building competition or all work together to create a muddy masterpiece. Slip, slop, slap and sculpt the day away!

34. Backyard mini golf

Make your own backyard mini golf or supa golf course. You might go for a strong structure or the temporary cardboard and pool noodle variety, either way – ‘Let’s par tee!’

35. Swap meet

Do a swap meet, garage or car boot sale together. Swap meets can be particularly zany, possibly better for teens with the early morning start. Great way to clear out the old before a new year!

36. Podcast

With names like: Wow in the World; Ear Snacks; and Brains ON…how could you not be curious? Podcasting is an awesome alternative to screen time and activates very different parts of the brain (but more about that later).

37. Window washing

How long has it been since the windows had a good clean? Many hands make light work! You can get playful and mess up the windows with rainbow foam before you clean it all off and get it sparkling. There is no better way to sharpen your focus than through a clean lens.

38. Weird, wacky and wonderful museum

The Nostalgia Box, The Academy of Taxidermy, DFES Education & Heritage Centre…or if you’re road tripping go east to the Tin Horse Highway or south to Denmark Dinosaur World – they have the only T-Rex in Oz!

39. Memory lane

Ask your Grandparents to go through their photo albums with them. Take a notebook or your own camera to take snapshots of some of their funny photos, their amazing shots, or captured memories you maybe didn’t realise they had. Dear Photograph is a delightful thing to do.

40. Marble run

Let there be toilet rolls! Build a magnificent marble run. See how far and how complicated you can get, leave it up and add to it over a few weeks. Keep rollin’…not many days of holi-yay’s left!

41. Art Trail

From tiny installation street works you’ve probably sauntered past a thousand times to striking silo stunners across this sunny state…art trails with maps or a guide are a wonderful way to look at your city-scape with new eyes. Our little town is known around the world for its incredible street art.

42. Oddball Holiday Calendar

Beyond Birthdays and Christmas…what do your Family want to celebrate next year? Perhaps Opposite Day? Embrace Your Geekness? Festivus? or Compliment Your Mirror Day?...

Take a day to create a colourful Family oddball holiday calendar for 2021 and keep it on the fridge to inspire a whole year of fantastic fun!